Mozambique and Zimbabwe Establish Historic Rail Partnership

Mozambique Railways and the National Railways of Zimbabwe have signed agreements allowing CFM to operate its locomotives in Zimbabwe, enhancing freight services. This partnership targets key rail corridors, promising improved efficiency and reliability in transportation. The collaboration follows previous arrangements including cooperation with Transnet Freight Rail to streamline cross-border operations.

Mozambique Railways (CFM) and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) have established a significant partnership permitting CFM to operate its locomotives within Zimbabwe. This collaboration is designed to enhance freight transportation efficacy between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, offering businesses more dependable and cost-efficient rail freight services.

The signing ceremony, held in Maputo, was attended by notable officials including Agostinho Langa Júnior, Chairman of CFM, Cândido Jone, Executive Director of CFM, Michael Madiro, Chairman of NRZ, and Ainah Dube-Kaguru, General Manager of NRZ. The agreements specifically target the operational dynamics of key rail corridors linking the two nations, notably the Southern Corridor covering the 148-kilometre stretch from Chicualacuala to Rutenga and the Central Corridor spanning 84 kilometres between Machipanda and Nyazura.

Under the agreements, CFM is responsible for providing suitable operational locomotives, train crews, and the necessary fuel and consumables to facilitate a minimum of two round-trips daily across the routes. In exchange, NRZ commits to ensuring sufficient cargo volumes for transport and maintenance of the railway infrastructure to guarantee safe operations for CFM’s locomotives on their network.

These agreements follow a previous arrangement made by CFM with South Africa’s Transnet Freight Rail in April 2023. That agreement enables seamless cross-border train operations between Mpumalanga and the Port of Maputo, allowing trains to transit without changing locomotives at border points, thus minimizing freight transit durations and enhancing operational efficiency.

The initial phase of this partnership resulted in a 23% increase in magnetite export volumes, which was subsequently extended to encompass chrome and ferrochrome exports, facilitating the operation of three trains daily between the countries.

In conclusion, the recent agreements between Mozambique Railways and the National Railways of Zimbabwe signify a crucial advancement in enhancing freight transport services between the two nations. By enabling the operation of CFM trains in Zimbabwe, this partnership is set to improve the reliability and efficiency of rail services, ultimately benefiting regional trade and commerce. The collaboration reflects ongoing efforts to streamline cross-border logistics in Southern Africa.

Original Source: www.freightnews.co.za